Written questions by Evans.

Pursuant to the Answer of 17 January 2025 to Question 22689 on Carers: Social Security Benefits, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the Kinship Allowance Trial on investment in kinship care; and when she plans to announce details on the process for selecting local authorities for that trial.

As previously mentioned, the government has recently announced a £40 million package to trial a new kinship allowance. The pilot will begin in 2025, and the department will evaluate the pilot to build an evidence base on how best to deliver financial support for kinship families.The department will share further details on the process for selecting local authorities in due course.The department’s ambition is that all kinship carers will get the support they need to care for their children. It is important that we first build the evidence base to find out how best to deliver financial support for kinship families. Decisions about future national rollout will be informed by the findings of the evaluation.

What assessment his Department has made of the potential implications for his policies of the Sky News investigation into UK care homes.

These are damning reports which the Government takes incredibly seriously. Everyone deserves to live an independent, dignified life.Dr Penny Dash’s report into the operational effectiveness of the Care Quality Commission (CQC), published on 15 October 2024, showed that the CQC needs to make significant improvements.My Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, has asked Dr Dash to carry out a second review looking at patient safety across the health and care landscape in England, within the context of wider regulation and improvement of quality of care.The CQC has a new Chief Executive, Julian Hartley, who has a record of delivering transformational change. Julian is prioritising improvements following Dr Dash’s report and the Department is monitoring the CQC’s progress closely.

What steps his Department is taking to ensure that concerns raised regarding elderly care homes are dealt with appropriately.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) is the independent regulator for health and social care in England. The CQC monitors, inspects, and regulates adult social care services to make sure they meet fundamental standards of quality and safety. Where concerns on quality or safety are identified, the CQC uses the regulatory and enforcement powers it has available, and will take action to ensure the safety of the people drawing on care and support.By law, all health and social care services must have a procedure for dealing efficiently with complaints, and anyone who has seen or experienced poor-quality care has the right to complain to the organisation that provided or paid for the care. If an individual is not satisfied with the way a provider or local authority has dealt with a complaint, they may escalate it to the local government and Social Care Ombudsman who can investigate individual concerns.The CQC also encourages the public to share their experience through an online feedback mechanism which allows them to raise concerns about the services they receive from providers. Although the CQC is not able to take forward individual complaints, all information given helps protect others from going through the same experience.Following the publication of the Dash Review into the operational effectiveness of the CQC, the Department is working closely with the CQC to ensure operational performance improves, by understanding how they will be implementing their recommendations, including those for adult social care. The Government has also launched an independent commission into adult social care as part of our critical first steps towards delivering a National Care Service.

What recent discussions he has had with leadership at the Care Quality Commission on ensuring concerns raised regarding elderly care homes are dealt with appropriately.

Ministers regularly meets with external stakeholders and key organisations to discuss a variety of issues, including but not limited to social care provision. I met with the Care Quality Commission on Friday 14 March 2025.

How many times the Minister for Care has met with leadership at the Care Quality Commission to discuss social care provision since July 2024.

Ministers regularly meets with external stakeholders and key organisations to discuss a variety of issues, including but not limited to social care provision. I met with the Care Quality Commission on Friday 14 March 2025.

Pursuant to the Answer of 3 February 2025 to Question 23858 on NHS Business Services Authority: Workplace Pensions, whether additional resources have been allocated to help tackle the backlog in remedial pension savings statements required to be issued by the NHS Business Services Authority.

The Department is working closely with the NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA) to ensure that issuance of remediable pension savings statements is prioritised and that affected members do not suffer financial detriment as a consequence of these delays.The NHSBSA is increasing service delivery capacity within the NHS Pensions team. They are taking measures such as overtime, recruiting additional staff, and upskilling and redeploying current staff within the organisation.

If he will conduct a review into the performance of the NHS Business Services Authority.

The NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA) underwent an independent review in 2023 as part of the Cabinet Office led Public Body Review programme, and was assessed as ‘a high performing Arm’s-Length Body’. The review is available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/nhs-business-services-authority-review-report/independent-review-of-the-nhs-business-services-authority-final-report-and-recommendationsAs a Special Health Authority and Arm’s-Length Body of the Department, performance is reviewed regularly by Departmental policy teams who sponsor individual services, and a quarterly accountability meeting is held to assess the NHSBSA’s performance across all its services.

How many times he has met with the leadership of the NHS Business Service Authority since 4 July 2024.

The Minister of State for Health met with the leadership of the NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA) on 9 December 2024, and regular meetings are now being scheduled.As a Special Health Authority and Arm’s-Length Body of the Department, there are quarterly accountability reviews between NHSBSA leadership and Department officials. Department officials also attend the NHSBSA’s Audit and Risk Committee and Board meetings, and there is less formal engagement in the form of regular one-to-ones with senior managers.

Pursuant to the Answer of 3 February 2025 to Question 23858 on NHS Business Services Authority: Workplace Pensions, what steps his Department has taken to help tackle the backlog.

The Department is working closely with the NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA) to ensure that issuance of remediable pension savings statements is prioritised and that affected members do not suffer financial detriment as a consequence of these delays.The NHSBSA is increasing service delivery capacity within the NHS Pensions team. They are taking measures such as overtime, recruiting additional staff, and upskilling and redeploying current staff within the organisation.

Pursuant to the Answer of 27 January 2025 to Question 23852 on Surgery: Reform, which straight-to-test pathways are being considered for Community Diagnostic Centres.

The Elective Reform Plan, published in January 2025, announced that integrated care boards (ICBs) will make optimal use of the new diagnostic capacity by implementing the new standards for Community Diagnostic Centres (CDCs), in particular, increasing direct referrals and rolling out at least 10 straight-to-test pathways by March 2026.To date, NHS England has agreed three national CDC diagnostic pathways which ICBs will be expected to implement by March 2026. These are: breathlessness; children and young people’s asthma; and unscheduled bleeding on hormone replacement therapy. NHS England is working with clinicians to best determine other priority pathways in CDCs, where clinically appropriate. Implementation of these pathways will be determined by population need, and where there is a clear opportunity for improving timescales and journeys to diagnosis. As well as these three priority CDC pathways, a number of other pathway developments are underway in CDCs across the country, including: lower gastrointestinal; liver; lung; head and neck; and adult hearing loss.The Elective Reform Plan also set out clear expectations for significant elective care reform to be delivered in at least five specialties: ear nose and throat; gastroenterology; respiratory; and urology and cardiology. Clinical pathway optimisation work, including in CDCs, will centre around these.

Pursuant to the Answer of 23 January 2025 to Question 23855 on General Practitioners: Hospitals, if he will publish data on the variation in the use of Advice and Guidance.

Data on the variation in Advice and Guidance by integrated care board (ICB) and provider is published monthly by NHS England and is available at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/outpatient-transformation/specialist-advice/Data by ICB and provider is available for the total number of requests made by general practitioners, by the number of requests that have been responded to in secondary care, known as processed requests, and by the number of processed requests that have been returned to the sender with advice for management in general practice, known as diverted requests.The proposals in the Elective Reform Plan to significantly increase Advice and Guidance were in recognition of the significant variation that exists in use, and the benefit we know it can have on patients to receive more timely care in the right place. We will be closely monitoring progress throughout 2025/26.

Pursuant to the Answer of 21 January 2025 to Question 23853 on Pharmacy: Contracts, when he expects to conclude the consultation on the Community Pharmacy Contractual Framework's 2025 to 2026 funding contract.

The Government recently resumed its consultation on the Community Pharmacy Contractual Framework regarding funding arrangements for 2024/25 and 2025/26. As is custom and practice, we expect to announce the outcome in a joint letter to contractors in due course.

Pursuant to the Answer of 28 January 2025 to Question 23857 on NHS Business Services Authority: Workplace Pensions, what steps he is taking to (a) rectify the issue and (b) provide support to impacted individuals.

The NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA) is proactively rectifying the 2023/24 pension savings calculation errors by providing regular updates and support to impacted members. They will be issuing an up to date 2023/24 pension saving statement to all members who need one, and they are working on this as a matter of urgency. The NHS Pension Service is also reviewing and updating quality assurance processes with the involvement of key stakeholders.The NHSBSA is sharing guidance from HM Revenue and Customs with members to support the completion of Self-Assessment Tax Returns, to the relevant deadlines, and to show how to rectify returns and avoid penalties.The NHSBSA has confirmed that they are able to reimburse impacted individuals for the additional costs they may incur as a result of the calculation error. They are also developing a process to allow affected scheme members to fast track a request for reimbursement, provided they keep evidence of charges.

How many meetings he has had with Community Pharmacy England since July 2024.

Ministers meet regularly with external stakeholders on a variety of topics, including, but not limited to, pharmacy. Details of ministerial meetings are published quarterly in arrears on the GOV.UK website.

Pursuant to the Answer of 23 January 2025 to Question 23850 on Health Services, when he plans to provide an update on whether Advice and Guidance arrangements are agreed as part of GP Contract negotiations.

My Department and NHS England started consultation with the General Practitioners Committee in England, of the British Medical Association, on the 2025/26 GP Contract on 19 December and will consider all proposed policy changes, including Advice and Guidance arrangements. Final changes will be announced before April 2025 in the usual way, following the close of the consultation.

Pursuant to the Answer of 28 January 2025 to Question 23857 on NHS Business Services Authority: Workplace Pensions, if he will take steps to prevent further such errors in pension growth calculations.

Following an investigation into the 2023/24 pensions savings calculation error, the NHS Business Services Authority has assured the Department that it understands why the error happened and has put measures in place to prevent future reoccurrence. It has reviewed its calculation processes and is implementing a software fix to its pension administration system. The software fix will ensure calculations accurately reflect the consumer price index rate to produce corrected pension savings calculations.

With reference to the oral contribution by the Minister for Care of 13 January 2025, Official Report, column 128, if he will undertake a review of the distribution of hospice funding.

We are supporting the hospice sector with a £100 million capital funding boost for adult and children’s hospices to ensure they have the best physical environment for care. We are working at great pace to get this year’s funding to hospices as soon as possible, including having regular discussions involving NHS England and Hospice UK. We are currently finalising the delivery mechanisms and are pleased that Hospice UK stands ready to distribute the money to local hospices throughout England.We are also providing an additional £26 million of revenue funding to support children and young people’s hospices. We are aware that the shift to an integrated care board (ICB) transacted model for 2024/25 was not as smooth a transition as we would have hoped. We are working closely with NHS England so planning for 2025/26 is improved.NHS England is currently making decisions on the allocation and administration mechanisms for the £26 million of revenue funding for children and young people’s hospices in 2025/26 and hopes to communicate plans to the sector later this month.Although palliative and end of life care is mostly provided by National Health Service staff and services, we recognise the vital part that voluntary sector organisations, including hospices, also play in providing support to people at the end of life and their loved ones. ICBs are responsible for the commissioning of palliative and end of life care services, to meet the needs of their local populations. The amount of funding each charitable hospice receives varies both within and between ICB areas. This will vary depending on demand in that ICB area but will also be dependent on the totality and type of palliative and end of life care provision from both NHS and non-NHS services, including charitable hospices, within each area. Therefore, there are no current plans to undertake a review of the distribution of hospice funding.Neither the Department nor NHS England believe that publishing a consultation on the distribution of hospice funding is necessary, but both organisations are in regular discussions with key hospice sector stakeholders on this issue.Earlier this month, I met the major palliative and end of life care, including hospice, stakeholders when long-term sector sustainability, within the context of our 10-Year Health Plan, was discussed at length.

Pursuant to the Answer of 28 January 2025 to Question 23857 on NHS Business Services Authority: Workplace Pensions, if he will undertake a review of the practices of the NHS Business Service Authority.

The NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA) has investigated the recent pension savings calculation error that affected 2023/24 Pension Savings Statements. This established that the annual consumer price index increase was incorrectly applied to the opening value of 2023/24 pension savings calculations, resulting in the Pension Input Amount being lower than it should be. In light of the findings, robust measures have been put in place to ensure this error does not happen again. NHSBSA reported the issue to The Pensions Regulator and will take any actions that the regulator may require.We will work with the NHS Pensions Board to monitor and hold NHSBSA to account for the quality of scheme administration.

With reference to the oral contribution by the Minister for Care of 13 January 2025, Official Report, column 128, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of publishing a consultation on the distribution of hospice funding.

We are supporting the hospice sector with a £100 million capital funding boost for adult and children’s hospices to ensure they have the best physical environment for care. We are working at great pace to get this year’s funding to hospices as soon as possible, including having regular discussions involving NHS England and Hospice UK. We are currently finalising the delivery mechanisms and are pleased that Hospice UK stands ready to distribute the money to local hospices throughout England.We are also providing an additional £26 million of revenue funding to support children and young people’s hospices. We are aware that the shift to an integrated care board (ICB) transacted model for 2024/25 was not as smooth a transition as we would have hoped. We are working closely with NHS England so planning for 2025/26 is improved.NHS England is currently making decisions on the allocation and administration mechanisms for the £26 million of revenue funding for children and young people’s hospices in 2025/26 and hopes to communicate plans to the sector later this month.Although palliative and end of life care is mostly provided by National Health Service staff and services, we recognise the vital part that voluntary sector organisations, including hospices, also play in providing support to people at the end of life and their loved ones. ICBs are responsible for the commissioning of palliative and end of life care services, to meet the needs of their local populations. The amount of funding each charitable hospice receives varies both within and between ICB areas. This will vary depending on demand in that ICB area but will also be dependent on the totality and type of palliative and end of life care provision from both NHS and non-NHS services, including charitable hospices, within each area. Therefore, there are no current plans to undertake a review of the distribution of hospice funding.Neither the Department nor NHS England believe that publishing a consultation on the distribution of hospice funding is necessary, but both organisations are in regular discussions with key hospice sector stakeholders on this issue.Earlier this month, I met the major palliative and end of life care, including hospice, stakeholders when long-term sector sustainability, within the context of our 10-Year Health Plan, was discussed at length.

With reference to the oral contribution by the Minister for Care of 13 January 2025, Official Report, column 128, what his planned timetable is for discussions between his Department and NHS England on the distribution of hospice funding.

We are supporting the hospice sector with a £100 million capital funding boost for adult and children’s hospices to ensure they have the best physical environment for care. We are working at great pace to get this year’s funding to hospices as soon as possible, including having regular discussions involving NHS England and Hospice UK. We are currently finalising the delivery mechanisms and are pleased that Hospice UK stands ready to distribute the money to local hospices throughout England.We are also providing an additional £26 million of revenue funding to support children and young people’s hospices. We are aware that the shift to an integrated care board (ICB) transacted model for 2024/25 was not as smooth a transition as we would have hoped. We are working closely with NHS England so planning for 2025/26 is improved.NHS England is currently making decisions on the allocation and administration mechanisms for the £26 million of revenue funding for children and young people’s hospices in 2025/26 and hopes to communicate plans to the sector later this month.Although palliative and end of life care is mostly provided by National Health Service staff and services, we recognise the vital part that voluntary sector organisations, including hospices, also play in providing support to people at the end of life and their loved ones. ICBs are responsible for the commissioning of palliative and end of life care services, to meet the needs of their local populations. The amount of funding each charitable hospice receives varies both within and between ICB areas. This will vary depending on demand in that ICB area but will also be dependent on the totality and type of palliative and end of life care provision from both NHS and non-NHS services, including charitable hospices, within each area. Therefore, there are no current plans to undertake a review of the distribution of hospice funding.Neither the Department nor NHS England believe that publishing a consultation on the distribution of hospice funding is necessary, but both organisations are in regular discussions with key hospice sector stakeholders on this issue.Earlier this month, I met the major palliative and end of life care, including hospice, stakeholders when long-term sector sustainability, within the context of our 10-Year Health Plan, was discussed at length.